National Identification System: Will We Trade Privacy for Security?

by Terrance Malkinson

More than ever, heightened security measures are touching every aspect of our lives. Many seemingly mundane, day-to-day transactions — verifying health care eligibility, accessing a computer network, entering a building, authorizing travel — require us to prove our identities, to confirm we are who we say we are.

To be sure, citizens have dealt with identity confirmation for years. But as security measures continue to tighten and identification rules expand, many people in the United States have joined in the movement to create a national system to verify citizens’ and visitors’ identities. Among other things, supporters say, a national identification (ID) system may help stem terrorism within U.S. borders.

Support Is Not Universal

Policy debates to date have focused on system effectiveness, privacy rights, abuse potential, and implementation costs. In addition, proposals for creating such a system have varied in universality, included information, and even when and where a national ID card should be used. The most vocal opponents point out the potential for civil liberties abuses. Their concerns center on privacy and personal information protection issues, as well as on issues related to data aggregation and matching. They often cite the “functional creep” of our Social Security numbers as an example.

One related proposal calls for creating standardized, secure driver’s licenses and linking them to a government database. Many consider this measure to be the first step toward implementing a national ID system. But in an 11 February letter, 43 organizations asked President Bush to reject the proposal, indicating that an even more comprehensive ID program would garner tremendous opposition.

What Does the Public Say?

According to Gartner, Inc., a national research and advisory firm, while the U.S. public supports a national ID for such specific uses as airport security, it offers far less acceptance of creating a system to control access to such personal transactions as health care and banking services. Further, only 26 percent of U.S. citizens support the idea of creating a national database to identify citizens and visitors; 41 percent oppose the notion outright. Nevertheless, should such a system be created, respondents indicated they would trust private institutions over the government to administrate it (12 March 2002, www.gartner.com).

Available Technologies

Several currently available technologies can and do provide a significant level of security and privacy. Smart cards, for example, provide authenticated and authorized information access while incorporating several privacy features. Today’s smart cards:

• Support anonymity

• Allow separate applications on the same card

• Support multiple, single-purpose IDs

• Provide on-card matching of cardholder verification information

• Implement strong security for both the ID card and personal data

• Provide solutions that can enhance privacy protection and guard against identity theft

Also gaining popularity are biometric technologies, which allow users to identify or authenticate a person’s identity based on such unique physiological or behavioral characteristics as iris and retinal patterns, hand geometry, fingerprints, voice responses and handwritten signatures. Most experts say biometrics offer highly secure ID authentication.

Combining Technologies for Even Higher Security

Many of the systems that require security and privacy to be at their highest levels use a hybrid smart card with biometric technology. Essentially, these systems compare biometric images captured at the point of interaction to stored biometric images. When used together, biometric technologies and smart card systems ensure that an individual presenting an identity document has the right to use that credential. The hybrids represent a convenient and cost-effective ID technology that maintains privacy while providing security.

Involving the Public

The debate on a national ID system continues to unfold, but many people believe that eventually, the United States will implement such a system in some form. Those working to create it will have to analyze every conceivable use in terms of privacy, security, cost/benefit and feasibility. In addition, they will have to outline the system’s goals clearly for the public. Most importantly, they must allow the public to play a role by participating in discussions and deliberations.

Further Reading

Kent, S.T., and Lynette I. Millett, Editors. IDs — Not That Easy: Questions About Nationwide Identity Systems. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. ISBN 0-309-08430-X http://bob.nap.edu/html/id_questions/index.html. 2002.

"Gartner Reports Strong Opposition to a U.S. National Identity Program," Gartner press release, 3 December 2002, www4.gartner.com/5_about/press_releases/2002_03/pr20020312a.jsp

Mathews, William. "Congress mulls ID cards: Opponents fear government monitoring," Federal Computer Week, 3 December 2001, www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2001/1203/pol-cards-12-03-01.asp

Barnes, Bill. "The National ID Card: If They Build It, Will It Work?" Slate, http://slate.msn.com/?id=2058321, 8 November 2001.

Levy, Steven. "Playing the ID Card." Newsweek, 139(19): 44-47, 2002.

www.smartcardalliance.org/alliance_activities/
Secure_Personal_ID_resources.cfm

"The Debate Over a National Identification Card." The Century Foundation Homeland Security Project. www.homelandsec.org/Pub_category/pdf/National_ID_Card.pdf

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Terrance Malkinson is a proposal manager/documentation specialist; an elected Senator of the University of Calgary; international correspondent for IEEE-USA Today's Engineer; and editor of the IEEE Engineering Management Society Newsletter. Opinions expressed are the author's.